


A Thing that Would Last

by Dellessa



Category: American Horror Story: Hotel
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Fix-It, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 13:44:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16873962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/pseuds/Dellessa
Summary: John Lowe stumbled to the doors of the Cortez, yanking them open as the first shot rang out. It hit him square in the back, and then another to the right clean though his heart. He watched his body fall to the floor; blood pooled beneath it.





	A Thing that Would Last

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gayporwave](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayporwave/gifts).



John Lowe stumbled to the doors of the Cortez, yanking them open as the first shot rang out. It hit him square in the back, and then another to the right clean though his heart. He watched his body fall to the floor; blood pooled beneath it. 

It was a relief. 

He made it. 

He sucked in a breath of air that he no longer needed and watched the police swarm around his body. He was already gone though, and no attempts at resuscitation were going to bring him back. They tried anyway, and he watched them as they made their frantic attempts. Watched them until he grew bored of it.

It was easy enough to walk away then, deeper into the hotel. Alex and Holden were still sleeping down below. They were safe; he could feel that deep within. He could feel so much it left his head spinning and disoriented like he had been sucking down the absinthe that James was so fond of. 

He looked back at the police, and watched them scurry about. It was a waste of good blood. Alex and Holden could have used it, but that was neither here nor there at this point. They would just have to get more creative in the future.

James was waiting at the foot of the stairs, a brilliant smile on his face. “The fun we will have. I’m glad to see you’ve finally...joined us for good.” 

It was the smile John was used to seeing covered in blood splatter. It made him shudder. “Yes?” 

James walked closer, and threw his head back and laughed loudly. “Doubts now? After all we have been through? After the art we have created together? It is, my dearest creation, good to see you are finally home for good.” 

John shook his head. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He felt more off balance than he had since he learned the truth of it all. “No,” he finally said. “I was scared I would not make it inside. I---what will we do now?” 

“The possibilities are endless, my dear, positively endless.”

***

Time ticked by slowly. The outside world continued on as if nothing had happened; it carried on. Inside the hotel, the only change was the seemingly endless exchange of guests. People came, and people went.

John sat back and watched. 

Devil’s Night still came in due time. 

They picked up a couple from the bar, luring them up to Room 78. Aileen laughed meanly when they were drugged and limp against their chairs. 

“It just never gets old.” Her smile was infectious. 

“No, it doesn’t,” John said, unable to stop the answering smile from gracing his face.

James clapped a hand on John’s back. “You have outdone yourself, my dear sweet boy.”

John could not help but snort at that. “I’m not a boy, James.” 

“But you are mine all the same.” He barked a laugh again as he striked out with the knife in his hand. 

The blood arced and sprayed them. John gasped, and leaned into James, pulling him into a kiss. The blood smeared between them, and Aileen wolf-whistled, but none of it really mattered. They were here and they still had this. 

“We could kill them all,” John breathed against James’ lips. “Bathe in their blood.” 

“Moderation, my love. We don’t want to draw too much attention to ourselves, now do we? We have others to think of, don’t we?” James tsked, as he pushed him away. He wiped the blood across John’s cheek. “Remember?” 

“I remember,” John said, like it was a revelation all over again. 

“Good boy,” James said, and turned him around so he could watch the others as they toyed with the man. He was lucid enough at that time to scream. He did too, loud and high. It was music to John’s ears. He leaned back against James and shuddered with it. “Tonight, though, tonight is a night for rejoicing. It’s Devil’s Night, my dear boy, and we will make so much mischief.” 

The man died with a gurgle. “The night is just beginning,” Ramirez cackled. 

John’s lips curled up into a manic grin. “Let’s go get a few more guests to join the fun.” 

“You always have the best ideas, John.” James gave him an equally feral smile back.

***

They sent Scarlet away. It was one of the few things that John regretted. The darkness had touched her enough as it was, and he could not bear to see her tears as that last bit of innocence faded away.

“It is just as well,” Alex said. “She will be happier there.” John was not so sure, but he knew that she was a ray of light that did not belong in their world. At least not yet.

“She will be safer there,” James had said, and John could not argue with that. “One day she will never leave.” 

John opened his mouth to protest, but he wasn’t wrong. “One day.”

***

“Don’t fret,” James said, and bit at John’s lips until there was blood. There was always blood. Sometimes when they crashed against each other it would drip down the walls, and pool at their feet. “We will find someone, and mold them, and we will start a new project. Something more grand this time. Something bright and brilliant in its carnage. You will see, John.”

James pushed John back down onto the bed, pinning his arms above the bed, grinding against him. Their skin was slick with blood. The girl who had checked into the room stared up at the ceiling with dead eyes, but they both ignored her for now. They had already had their fun, and her heart had long since stopped beating.

John hummed against his skin, tasting copper. “Promise?” 

James laughed. “When have I ever lead you astray, my dear boy.”

“Never,” was the only answer that came to John’s lips, although that was not entirely true. James had led him astray in all of the best ways possible.


End file.
